Identifications please

[delboy0905]

Hello all, can anybody identify these little darlings. I think Common Darter, but need confirmation. An Ichneumon wasp of some type and a type of Hoverfly.







Thanks Dale

[Geoff F]

I can't see the top of the thorax but that darter does have pale lines down the legs and the thorax side markings appear correct for a male Common Darter.

The hoverfly is Myathropa florea.

That wasp appears tricky so I will wait for someone else to have first go at it!

Incidentally, When I picked up my dragonfly book for a double check, it opened at the correct page. Perhaps I am starting a lucky streak and will have a letter from Ernie tomorrow!

[JRsbugs]

The Common Darter is surely a female, the ovipositor can be seen and the colour is also like an aging female.

Janet

[delboy0905]

heres the best shot I got of the darter from above showing the thorax.

[GuyF]

Originally Posted by delboy0905

heres the best shot I got of the darter from above showing the thorax.

I'd agree with Janet, it's a female Common Darter.
Guy

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

The Common Darter is surely a female, the ovipositor can be seen and the colour is also like an aging female.

Janet

Almost entirely correct, but darters (and other Libellulids) don't actually have an ovipositor.
The projection under the abdomen is better referred to as the "vulvar scale". If they had an ovipositor they would presumably 'inject' their eggs into plants etc instead of comically bobbing up and down trying to flick eggs off the end of their abdomen.
The visible presence of the vulval scale proves that it's a female as much as an ovipositor would though!


Roy.

PS. Apologies for being picky!

[JRsbugs]

Yes your are right I know, I realised I had made that mistake later!

[Dogghound]

The ichneumonid is from the Ichneumon (genus).